Notes

INCREASED GLOBAL MIGRATION
Today, there is more migration of people from place to place than ever
before. In 2013, there were 232 million migrants worldwide. The number of
migrants is expected to grow to 405 million by 2050.
Migration is caused by pull factors and push factors. Pull factors are
attractions that draw people to new areas. People may move to reunite with

family members. They may move to look for better education or higher-
paying jobs. Push factors are forces that drive people from their homes to

search for new places to live. Environmental migrants are one example of
people moving because of push factors. They are escaping drought or the
loss of natural resources near their homes. Other kinds of migrants may be
escaping poverty, religious persecution, conflict, or war.
In 2013, over one-quarter of the most educated people from several
countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa had moved to a
different country, most often in a more developed nation. For example,
Guyana’s migration rate is among the
highest in the world. More than 55 percent
of its population—and 85 percent of its
university-educated citizens—have left.
Many moved to find jobs with higher
salaries, a pull factor. But many also left
because they opposed government policies
at home, a push factor (Figure 3.1).

pull factor a social, political,
economic, or environmental
attraction that draws
migrants to an area
push factor a social,
political, economic, or
environmental force that
drives migrants away
from an area

FIGURE 3.1 In 2001, protestors
marched in Georgetown, Guyana,
to demonstrate their opposition
to racial discrimination by
the government.
I wonder what happens to
countries when so many
skilled people leave?

Syrian Civil War Refugee Migration,

2012 to 2014

FIGURE 3.2 Flow map showing the number of
Syrian war refugees in several countries using data
collected in November 2014

74 UNIT 1: Global Settlement: Patterns and Sustainability NEL NEL CHAPTER 3: Impacts of Settlement 75

INCREASING URBAN POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE
The world’s urban population is increasing (Figure 3.5). This trend is
expected to continue. In 2014, there were 3.9 billion urban dwellers. By 2045,
there will be 6 billion people living in cities. According to the UN, two-thirds
of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050.
The populations of individual cities are increasing. Some cities are now
megacities—they have populations of more than 10 million people. Did you
know that, in 1990, there were 10 megacities in the world, and in 2014, there
were 28? The three largest megacities are Tokyo, Japan, with a population
of 38 million; Delhi, India, with a population of 25 million; and Shanghai,
China, with a population of 23 million. This shift toward urban living creates
both opportunities and challenges in urban areas.